The claims come in the wake of a fatal accident that has brought the family-run Fairy Meadow-based operation under scrutiny. 

The driver, who did not want to be identified, told the Mercury he had reported defects that remained unremedied weeks later.

“I’ve had two bald tyres on my truck for weeks now – I was out on the road every day,” he said. “I told the mechanic about it and he said, ‘they’re good’. I said, ‘no they’re not, they’re down to the wear mark’.” 

The man claimed he was pressured to take jobs when he felt too tired to drive.

After returning from a 12-hour delivery run, he says a superior repeatedly tried to send him back out on the road. 

“He kept sending [the job listing] back, saying ‘I’ve got nobody else’,” he said. 

“I’ve worked for a lot of trucking companies and Barnetts is one of the worst - safety wise, hours wise, pay wise.” 

Traffic and Highway Patrol police and Roads and Maritime Services inspectors audited the Fairy Meadow headquarters on Friday, four days after the company became involved in a fatal collision – its second in four years.

The search of 16 trucks yielded 14 minor defects and two serious defects. 

Police say they also detected significant breaches involving the company’s information systems.

There were no medical records kept for heavy vehicle drivers, no fatigue management procedures or records, limited driver records and no dangers good policies or procedures. 

The company did not return the Mercury’s calls. 

As word of the audit spread, many took to social media to side with the company. 

“Plenty of big time companies around wollongong with fleets in much worse condition,” wrote one supporter, Kendall Blayney.

Addressing media during Friday’s audit, company founder Bob Barnett dismissed the views of the authorities.

“What they can’t get through their thick scones is that we have a system here so that people don’t work too many hours, and it works fine,” he said. 

“But because it’s not written the way they want to read it, they reckon it’s wrong.”